In general, a freezing/refrigerating device controls external and internal temperature by controlling a high temperature high pressure refrigerant circulating in a refrigerating cycle. The freezing/refrigerating device includes a refrigerator, an air-conditioner, or the like.
A conventional refrigerator will now be described with reference to FIG. 1
FIG. 1 shows the construction of a refrigerating cycle of a refrigerator in accordance with a conventional art.
As shown in FIG. 1, the refrigerating cycle of a conventional refrigerator includes: a compressor 11 for compressing a refrigerant; a condenser 12 for releasing heat of the refrigerant which has been compressed in the compressor 11; a dryer 13 installed at the condenser 12 and removing moisture of the refrigerant; a solenoid valve 14 connected to a refrigerant pipe connected to the dryer 13 and to the refrigerant pipe and controlling opening/closing of the refrigerant pipe; an expansion valve 15 connected to the solenoid valve 14 and reducing the pressure of the refrigerant discharged from the solenoid valve 14; and an evaporator 16 connected to the expansion valve 15 and receiving the decompressed refrigerant to generate cooling air for absorbing heat contained in a food item stored in a refrigerating chamber or a freezing chamber.
The evaporator 16 is connected to the compressor 11 through the refrigerating pipe. Namely, the refrigerating cycle of the conventional refrigerator is formed with a flow of the compressor 11→the condenser 12→dryer 13→solenoid valve 14→expansion valve 15→evaporator 16→compressor 11.
The compressor 11, the condenser 12, the dryer 13, the expansion valve 15, the evaporator 16 and the compressor 11 are connected to each other through the refrigerating pipe.
The refrigerating cycle of the conventional refrigerator will now be described.
First, a microcomputer (not shown) with a pre-set temperature senses the temperature of the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber of the refrigerator. If the temperature of the refrigerating chamber and the freezing chamber is higher than the pre-set temperature, the microcomputer controls the refrigerating cycle for generating cooling air.
The compressor 11 compresses an introduced refrigerant under the control of the microcomputer to a high temperature and high pressure refrigerant. The refrigerant generated in the compressor 11 is discharged to the condenser 12 through the refrigerant pipe.
The condenser 12 releases heat of the refrigerant introduced from the compressor 11 and then discharges it to the dryer 13.
The dryer 13 removes moisture remaining in the refrigerant that has passed through the condenser 12 and discharges the refrigerant to the expansion valve 15 through the solenoid valve 14.
The expansion valve 15 decompresses the high pressure refrigerant flowing in through the solenoid valve 14 and adjusts the refrigerant flowing at a uniform rate to a state of being easily evaporated and discharges it to the evaporator 16.
The evaporator 16 receives the refrigerant from the expansion valve 15 and supplies cooling air to the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber to absorb heat in the freezing chamber and the refrigerating chamber.
Absorbing heat in the freezing chamber, and the refrigerating chamber by the evaporator 16, refrigerant is evaporated. The evaporated refrigerant is introduced again to the compressor 11, thereby forming the refrigerating cycle.
However, the compressor employed for the refrigerating cycle of the conventional refrigerator is rotated (operated) only clockwise to constantly generate a maximum output (a maximum freezing capacity). That is, when a temperature in the refrigerator is stable, a maximum output is not required, but since the compressor is rotated only clockwise to constantly generate the maximum output, power consumption of the refrigerator increases.